Anyone know medical stuff? Advise needed.

[Coragin]

Okay so some of you know I am disabled, cant work even if I wanted to   And I do.

On with the problem, well two of them.

1. Insomnia:

I got my CPAP machine and that was supposed to help me, but all that does is make me more rested and feel better.  I am still having a huge problem going to sleep.  Like right now, I took a nap from 1pm to 4:30pm yesterday and was up for over 24 hours befoe that.  I have now been awake, cohearent (sp?) and completely not going through the normal been up for over 30 hours stuff.  Any suggestions?  I am even perscribed xanex .5mg and I can take 1-2mg and a vicodin 7.5 750 and not get sleepy.  What gives?  2mg of xanex should knock someone on their butt right?  However valiume works, helps me fall asleep, so does nyquil, but I dont want to be dependant on wither of them just to get rest, cause that isint real rest.  Should I go back to my sleep specialist and tell him the insomnia has gotten worse?  Or anyone got any advise?

2. Chronic Pain:

Ive broken my knees twice, hyper extended them, you name it (used to skate board and play hockey most of my life).  So they always hurt, I am sure that and my lower back is arthritis or something, cause the change in weather makes sthe pain worse.  But sometimes I cant even sit my lower back and knees hurt so bad.  I take 800mg motrin for it because I dont like having to take narcotics all the time (vicodin).  Thats not the real problem, but if anyone has some suggestions on how to lessen that pain I would be greatful.  The pain I am having a problem with is my jaw and teeth.  Upper jaw, wisdom teeth molar area, plus cheek bones all the way up to my eyes and nose.  I had my lower wisdom teeth removed some ten years ago, but the surgeon would not remove my uppers because the roots are inside my sinuses.  I am sure the cheek pain and a lot of the pain is from sinus pressure and or constant infection or inflamation/irritation.  I am currently on medicade and they just cut off both vision and dental (assholes) on everyone.  So I would assume this would have to be a referral from my MD.  Could this wisdom teeth be the problem of all my pain in my head?  It gives me bad headaches and sinus headaches all the while my back molars are kiling me.  Like I want to rip them out, feels like they are pushing together or something.

So, any suggestions if you know medical or some home remedies for pain?  I honestly do not want to just swallow vicodin like skittles to not be in pain, Im not a junkie and dont want to become one either.

Now I am tired and I am looking at a lot of punctuation errors and mis-spelled words, so sorry about that, but I am sure you can make this out just fine.  I think Im gonna lay in bed and watch Terminator 4 and hopefully drift off to sleep lol.  Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

[gen2000]

Damn that sux dude. The only thing I know that helps me sleep is about 5 benadryl and a 6 pack of bud. It will totally knock me out! I'm sure that's bad advice but that's all I got.. 

[Scrripty]

Damn that sux dude. The only thing I know that helps me sleep is about 5 benadryl and a 6 pack of bud. It will totally knock me out! I'm sure that's bad advice but that's all I got.. 

Yea, I had benedryl right to the heart today... knocked me right out. haha 3 hours later I heard, "Time to go home!  You're all done!" haha

[onlyindreams]

Do what physical activity that you can. Your body will need the rest and it'll be easier to fall asleep.

[SunTigress]

OiD is right, The number 1 treatment for insomnia is physical activity. Whatever you can, on a regular basis. Try swimming, it is low impact for your knees and back. The second is called "learned insomnia," which is where people do things in the bedroom other than sleep and sex. ex: laying in bed watching TV, you train youself to stay awake and watch the movie, and not sleep. So, no computer, books, tv, in the bedroom. You should try to make a regular sleep cycle. Go to sleep at 10pm, get up at 6 am. If you don't fall asleep in 10 minutes, get up and go to the livingroom and read or something. Try again in an hour.

For pain, if the problem is swelling, vicodin won't help, because tylenol has no antiinflammatory properties. You need to "get ahead" of the swelling by taking some sort of NSAID on a regular basis, like IBUprofen. BUT! NSAIDs can make other problems worse, like ulcers, so you should probably go to the doctor and discuss other options. AND, narcotics (almost all) will cause respiratory suppression, which will make your sleep apnea worse.

Your doctor isn't a mind reader. If you don't go see him and tell him you are having a problem, he won't change your prescription.

[Endless Night]

Wow Excellent advise thier ST. 

[Toptwo]

Wow Excellent advise thier ST. 

2nd year Parmacy student...and she is actually learning

[NObama]

For the insomnia:  In addition to the phys activity, may I suggest a book on tape?  James Marsden reads Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and (even though I'm a huge fan of the books) his voice puts me to sleep without fail.

We can set up something for me to get you the mp3s, or (probably easily) they are almost always available at your local library.  Rip em and you'll have them forever.  That's what I do.

 

[Coragin]

Thanks guys and gal! Im gonna try again and fall asleep.    I need to make an Appt to see Dr

[12TimesOver]

Coragin my friend I have just one recommendation.

Although it is a good idea to reach out to friends when in a rough spot, be it on the web, on the phone, or getting together IRL for coffee or beer with a buddy AND a lot of people will empathize and offer advice (some good even) you really need to work with a professional/s on the issues you've discussed. Some of the things you mention can have adverse effects or even be related to larger problems that could get worse if untreated. If you feel like you are heading down an uncomfortable path with one physician/dentist/orthodontist/whatever don't be afraid to get second opinions or to go for further help. If insurance is an issue do what you can, start with one issue and take it as far as you can take it.

By the sound of your medicine closet today you may already have some dependency issues coming up and this kind of stuff can perpetuate the problems you are trying to take care of by taking some of this stuff. I don't know what you should or shouldn't take, I'm not a physician (or even an up and coming pharmacist ) but I get a little nervous when it comes to stuff like this because I have walked through *bleep* myself and with other people over the last 18 years that would curl your fingernails and make you sick!

Anyhow, enough from me. Good luck with your demons man, they sound like tough ones!

X

[Coragin]

12x thank you for the concern, it was a lot worse until I alone decided enough is enough.  I was on 6-8 vicodin a day for three years.  Now Im down to like 10 a month, thats only when its real bad.  800mg motrin, but I still suffer, but at the same time I do not like knowing my body was dependant on the drugs.  Not an abusive addiction mind you, but after three years you would expect the body to become dependant upon them.

I got a appt with my sleep specialist the one that got me my cpap this month, I am going to make an appt with my MD this week and get some advise and work on something, I dont know gotta see what he has to say.  I dont want it to involve narcotics.  I would rather have surgery and have the sinuses removed that the root of the wisdom teeth are inside than have to take narcotics.

Thank you for your concern, all of you.  This is why I knew I loved SUO over easyuo.com, we got us a nice community here, like a interwebs family.  Easyuo is just jealous they dont have that, which is why they remove all links to us here.    Yea yea shameless plug for TM and Cerv there   Sue me.

[SunTigress]

there are non-narcotic pain meds, like Tramodol